The Cloudy Mirror: Tension and Conflict in the Writings of Sima Qian

The Cloudy Mirror is a collection and analyzation of the writings of Sima Qian collected and written by Stephen W. Durrant. Within this book we see a detailed coverage of the writings of Sima Qian. As well as the background and causes to the tensions and conflict written within. Durrant gives a detailed scope of Sima Qian and the era in which his texts are written. Sima Qian was a Chinese historian of the early Han dynasty (206 BCE- CE 220). He is considered the father of Chinese historiography for his Records of the Grand Historian. a general history of China covering more than two thousand years beginning from the rise of the legendary ‘Yellow Emperor’ to the reigning sovereign of Sima Qian's time, Emperor Wu of Han. The Records of the Grand Historian served as a model for official history-writing for subsequent Chinese dynasties and the Chinese cultural sphere. It is these writings that are analyzed and summarized by Durrant in this book.

After inheriting his father's position as court historian in the imperial court, Sima Qian was determined to fulfill his father's dying wish of composing and putting together this epic work of history. In 99 BC, he would fall victim to the Li Ling affair for speaking out in defense of the general, who was blamed for an unsuccessful campaign against the Xiongnu. Given the choice of being executed or castrated, he chose the castration in order to finish his historical work.

As his position in the imperial court was 'Grand Historian', later generations would accord him with the honorific title of 'Lord Grand Historian for his monumental work, though his magnum opus was completed many years after his tenure as Grand Historian ended in disgrace and after his acceptance of punitive actions against him, including imprisonment, castration, and subjection to servility. He was aware of the importance of his work to posterity and perhaps even the future generations.

The Cloudy Mirror is intended to bridge us and Sima Qian, though we be centuries and worlds apart. Durrant sought to bring the Western world the most complete history of China known to man, Records of the Grand Historian constructed by Sima Qian throughout his lifetime. This book is a tool, narrated and guided by Durrant to allow for us to better understand Sima Qian and study his writings so that we may obtain an insight into Chinese History. 

Stephen W. Durrant is an apt author for this book as he has dedicated his life to Chinese culture and history. He was trained at the University of Washington in early Chinese grammar and philology and now teaches at the University of Oregon. He deciphered and studied many ancient texts throughout the 70’s and now has two on-going research projects. The first being a translation of Zuo Zhuan, with Yale University Press. The second is a book on certain issues surrounding the formation of the Confucian canon. With such experience and interests under his belt it is little wonder that he would be the one to bring Sima Qian’s Records of the Grand Historian to the Western World.

Durrant brings Records of the Grand Historian to the Western scholars. The Cloudy Mirror: Tension and Conflict in the Writings of Sima Qian. Was the first complete and comprehensible analysis of Sima Qian’s history of China. By summarizing and narrating the texts derived from Sima Qian and their background and effects we are given understanding of an often-obscure history to the Western eye. It is thanks to Durrant that the audience of the west and college scholars such as myself can delve into the tension and conflict and goings-on of not only Han China, but ancient China as well.

Mr. Durrant delves into Sima Qian and the Han in expert detailing. We see connections made between Sima Qian’s own life and the Empire. Also expertly brought forward is how Sima Qian’s recordings reflected his life’s struggles and events. Durrant handles the struggles and conflict of the Han Empire with care as to give a proper portrait of perception. The narrations give insight to Sima Qian’s thought process and perception of his world. By supplying the reader with this window we can see Sima Qian’s process of how and why he records events.

The book begins with an introduction to Sima Qian and his history. Durrant gives us a window into The Records of the Historian wherein Sima Qian’s final chapter is a personal one. Starting with the end is an interesting take but a useful one in this case as it details Sima Qian’s origins. To truly understand Sima Qian’s rise to his position and interpret his view it was crucial for Durrant to start with the autobiography chapter of The Records of the Historian. By learning of Sima Qian’s humble beginnings as a herder from Dragon Gate and his later travels we build a picture of his life. Sima Qian was responsible, both directly and indirectly, for how Chinese history would be remembered and recorded. His Records of the Historian are a tool that both show the past but also reflect the present in many aspects of life. Hence why this book earned the title The Cloudy Mirror. The break up of the book into six sections plus an introduction and epilogue allow for consistent and smooth reading as we traverse along the topics and timeline.

The title itself is important as the Chinese civilization use the ‘mirror’ as a metaphor for history, branching from the use of the bronze mirror in ancient burial. This is symbolic because “it was believed, [the mirror] could capture light and illuminate the darkness of the tomb”. So, by saying this, Chinese society and in turn Durrant use history to illuminate the present and proceedings of life.